WTN: Ridge, for better or worse

After too many years of subscribing to Ridge's ATP program, we now have a large handful of small-production Zins around the house at all times, working our way through the backlog. Here's a Ridge Vineyards 2006 Sonoma County Zinfandel, "Old School," 83% Zinfandel, 15% Carignane, 2% Petite Sirah, 14.6% ABV. Objectively, this is good stuff, caught at a good moment: high-toned berry fruit with a rich, dark undercurrent, and some wild, herbaceous notes too; the edges have been ground down and the wood has mostly integrated, but it's still primary enough to feel alive. But in my heart of hearts? I don't love it -- because it's tiring to drink. As I write this, I have two ounces left in my glass; each sip, while not quite hot, has a lot of glycerin and extract and tooth-staining power. I guess I feel about this like I feel about California in general these days (I more or less grew up in the Bay Area in the 1980s): on the one hand, the scale and the flavors of this wine make me happy, because they recall the aromas of laurel and eucalyptus and salvia in the hot sun; on the other hand, this is what a tipping point tastes like: from balance toward excess. Toward houses built out toward the edges of their lots. Toward... oh, never mind, I don't need to start a political fight. But... drink up, drink up. Make room for something else.

[David M. Bueker]

Is that an ATP bottling? I am not familiar with it. To be honest, I don't love the ATP program or the "non-core" wines. I don't think they do a good job representing the "brand" of Lytton Springs, Geyserville and Monte Bello.

Yep, ATP.

It took me a while, but I've arrived at the same conclusion. There are definitely some regular ATP bottlings I really enjoy: the varietal Carignane, the Dynamite Hill Petite Sirah, and the Dusi and Mazzoni Zinfandels come to mind. But there's also a lot that, while reliably good, isn't very distinctive, and it's expensive stuff to be using as hump-day pizza wine, which is basically what we've done. Plus, there are things I don't really enjoy: some of the Rhônes, the late-harvest and late-picked Zins. So we've dropped out of the program, switched ourselves to a 2-bottle Monte Bello program, and I'll buy duos and trios Geyserville and Lytton Springs in promising vintages when the mood strikes me. We've more or less ignored the non-ATP Zins that get wider release.

I'm even considering offloading a bunch of ATP stuff while it's still in a reasonable drinking window, because I'd rather not feel the pressure of "getting to it." And I could use the space.

[David M. Bueker]

I also enjoy the Dynamite Hill PS. I much prefer it to the general release Lytton Estate PS.

Another fan of Dynamite Hill.

Zin is a tough one for me. There are a few I like (Dry Creek Vineyard can be one) but overall...

I remember a Pagani Ranch Zinfandel from Ridge I tasted last year that was almost gritty with residual sugar. I was shocked at how awful, almost Michael David Earthquake Zin level jammy it was. If that is "the vineyard speaking," that is a vineyard I would plug my ears and run away from.

I concur here, the ATP is a step down.

Other than the big three wines, the Ridge bottling which has most impressed are the cabs and petite sirah from York Creek. But those are gone now.

Hi Patrick,
I wouldn’t necessarily say that Ridge’s ATP wines (Advanced Tasting Program wines) are a “step down”. The ATP wines produced from estate fruit could very well come from a block of young “experimental” vines, which someday may make it into the “core wines”. Those produced from fruit sourced from the “outside’ might not speak of Lytton, Geyserville, or Monte Bello (but than again I don’t believe anyone here would think they would). But one thing I think they do emphasize is Ridge’s wine-making philosophy- ‘preindustrial wine making”. My experience with Ridge wines (“core wines” or ATP wines, even though they did not come up with the marketing phrase)-“no wimpy wines here”.

Salute

My impression is that quite a number of the ATP bottlings are actually from old-vine plantings (Mazzoni, Buchignani, Carmichael, etc.); some of them have been part of the ATP program for a long time and don't seem to be intended to be "experimental," just small-production wines that Ridge can't market on the scale of the big three. But I think you're right that some ATP bottlings have "graduated" out of the program -- Pagani Ranch, for example?

I am a huge Ridge fan, so a step-down is still really good. I just can't think of an ATP bottling that I've liked as much as Geyserville, Lytton Springs or Monte Bello. That said, I admire the ATP program a lot for trying new things and keeping small production and obscure varietals afloat.

It used to be that the Ridge ATP Zins did seem like a "step down". Because they, by & large, were. Save maybe
the Jimsomare. But I think in the last few yrs, they have put more attention to their ATP Zins and have drug them,
kicking & screaming, up to the level of the LS/Geezer/Pagani. As for the ATP Rhones, did a tasting a week ago up on
MBRidge w/ Eric from the RidgeLibrary. They were impressive (TN's to follow) w/ age. But, when drunk on release, they can
seem a bit monolithic & unthrilling.
But...what would I know?? Only followed Ridge from the very start!!
Tom